Chapter 37

It wasn't common to see white hair. Be it in my world or this one. It really stood out in a crowd and my eyes were immediately drawn to her. I wasn't the only one because as soon as she walked in, everyone turned to her. I could feel people's gazes disappear from my shoulders and turn towards the newcomer. I finally understood the effect of the female lead every novel was talking about. Even if she didn't have white hair, everyone would have probably looked at her. She just attracted attention.

I couldn't stare at her for much longer however, because someone suddenly blocked my vision with his hand:

"What are you looking at, wife? I am right here."

I tried pushing Ephraim's hand away but he wouldn't budge.

"Let me see!

-Why? Do you find her attractive?

-What do you care? Let me see!"

I tiptoed, trying to be as tall as possible. Putting that much pressure on my ankle, I suddenly realized that it wasn't completely healed yet. Despite that, I ignored the pain and continued trying to look. It wasn't every day that we saw a female lead.

"Dear wife, should I remind you that cheating is considered a sin here?"

I flinched. Would me cheating give Ephraim a reason to kill me? I didn't have time to find out because what I heard next were Sliske's friend's not so silent whispers:

"Why would the Crown Princess show her face here?

-Does she have no shame?"

I immediately turned to them:

"Don't you dare talk badly about her."

They looked puzzled.

"But... Mister Dupree. You were the one who said...

-I don't care what I said! Don't talk badly about the Princess."

Being angry, I didn't have time to realize how weird the situation was. Princess Sarangerel never left her room in the book. I didn't remember a lot about her but every time she appeared in the book, she would look pathetic. She was usually described as a ghostly figure, being pushed around by the wind. I had no idea how she got out and why she looked so calm surrounded by people.

"Is this a joke, Mister Dupree?"

I suddenly remembered Sliske's friends and looked at them:

"Why would I be joking?

-You aren't behaving like yourself. What are you scheming?

-I am not scheming anything. I just hate bullying."

Sliske's friends didn't seem to buy it. They just stared at me, their brows furrowed. I could tell that they were getting irritated but they kept looking at Ephraim, forcing themselves to calm down. It seemed they didn't dare argue with me in front of the Duke. At least, most of them. The one I told not to criticize the Crown Princess seemed especially frustrated and he shot back at me:

"Are you pretending to be a good person just because your husband is here? You were the first to always laugh at Sarangerel's ice powers.

-How dare you call the Crown Princess by her first name!"

I suddenly froze.

"Wait. What did you say?

-You perfectly heard me. Do you think that by pretending to be a good person your husband will finally look your way?"

People started turning towards us hearing the screams. Sliske's other friends tried calming the first one down but the latter pushed them away violently:

"Don't try to stop me! We are all thinking it! Just what disgusting scheme are you planning now to get the Duke in your bed?"

People seemed shocked by what had been said but I couldn't care less:

"Wait, before that. What did you say about the Crown Princess's powers?"

The angry friend seemed taken aback.

"I can't take it anymore. I won't be the one to look bad just to lift you up anymore."

I quickly shook my head:

"What did you say about her powers?

-I...

-Did you say ice powers?

-Yes...

-How did you know about that?

-What do you mean... Everyone knows about it."

What the hell was going on? I turned to Ephraim. I didn't even know what I was expecting to see on his face but he looked just as puzzled as the others.

"What's going on?"

I never understood what the problem was with Sarangerel's powers. Instead of water manipulation, she was the first royal ever documented to be born with ice manipulation. Her parents were terrified of such unexpected powers and so was everyone around her. On top of that, Sarangerel's powers were of never seen magnitudes. They were scared that she would lose control over her powers some day and instead of helping her train, they locked her away. I never liked the king and queen in the book. They were the reason why their daughter was always gloomy and empty of life. But apart from that, they were just pathetic characters that never knew what to do and that were literally scared of a toddler.

But it seemed things had changed. That Sarangerel was far from gloomy or shy. She was walking her head high and looked more than capable of defending herself. What could have possibly happened? It couldn't have been because I changed the story. Or was this what they called the butterfly effect?

I grabbed Ephraim's sleeve, looking for answers:

"How long have you known?"

Ephraim didn't seem to want to intervene. He just stared at me, curious, and didn't even try answering. I wanted to shake him but didn't have time to. The angry friend suddenly got his energy back:

"Stop ignoring me! I am right here!"

I turned back to the friend with a frown. I had way more important things to care about than him:

"Yes! Finally! That's the way you usually look at us! You are finally dropping your act!"

I ignored the friend and looked back at Sarangerel. I noticed that she was staring back at me. Having our eyes meet made me flinch and I immediately looked away.

"Stop looking down on me! Do you think that I don't deserve your attention just because my husband isn't as powerful as yours?"

Sliske's friends couldn't calm down the angry one anymore and they gave up, lowering their gazes as much as they could, scared that it would get back at them.

"I can't take it anymore! You are making my life a living hell!"

Knowing that Sarangerel was looking at me, I didn't want her to hear such things about me. If there was one person that I didn't want to think badly of me, it was the female lead:

"Stop talking for three seconds.

-No! You can't silence me! You won't get away with this anymore!"

I didn't dare look back at Sarangerel. I hoped that she had already left.

"No one believes your act! How could the all powerful Sliske care about the pitiful Princess?

-Watch your mouth!

-There you go again! No one will believe that your self centered self cares a tiny bit about that wenches feelings!"

What I felt next was chilling cold. I didn't have time to understand what had happened that I saw Sliske's friend crumbling to the ground, howling in pain. The whole mansion went silent and everyone stared at Sliske's friend, having no idea what to do. I had no idea how long that scene went on when white hair appeared on my side.

Sarangerel looked down at the man with an empty gaze. It wasn't empty of life like described in the book but empty of humanity. That gaze scared me more than the screams and I really wanted to run away. I took a step back but I suddenly felt Ephraim behind my back, holding me in place.

I couldn't look away from Sarangerel and what she said next wasn't helping. She stepped on the man's hand and that made him scream even more:

"There, there. You are overreacting. Is this a way to greet the royal family?"

Hearing Sarangerel's voice, the man pinched his lips, trying his best to stop screaming. He tried his best to hold his shaking back and bent as deeply as possible, his forehead touching the ground. Everyone else immediately imitated him and the whole crowd bowed to Sarangerel.

I still didn't dare move but when she turned to me, I suddenly remembered that I was there and I quickly tried to bow. However, Ephraim didn't let me and he held me back in place. I turned back towards him, panicked but Ephraim just looked straight at Sarangerel:

"The Duke and his wife greet the Heir to the Glacial Throne."